My Lady Ludlow

o ask what became of Madame

which I told you had had such an effect on my lord), in which she had seen the figure of Virginie - as the only light object amid much surrounding darkness as of night, smiling and beckoning Clement on - on - till at length the bright phantom stopped, motionless, and Madame de Crequy's eyes began to penetrate the murky darkness, and to see closing around her the gloomy dripping walls which she had once seen and never forgotten - the walls of the vault of the chapel of the De Crequys in Saint Germain l'Auxerrois; an

of her, my lady

ain have taken her with us into Scotland, but the doctor (we had the old doctor from Leicester Square) forbade her removal; and this time he gave such good reasons against it that I acquiesced. Medlicott and a maid were left with her. Every care was taken of her. She survived till our return. Indeed, I thought she was in much the same state as I had left her in, when I came back to London. But Medlicott spoke of her as much weaker; and one morning on awakening, they told me she was dead. I sent for Medlicott, who was in sad distress, she

your ladyship," sa

of others who are dead and gone, and veiled over from human sight, that we cannot tell the tale as if it was a mere story. But young people should remember that we have had this solemn experience of life, on which to base our opinions and form our judgments, so that they are not mere

d your ladyship tell the stor

w circle, ought not to set up his opinion against mine; he ought not to require reasons from me, nor to need such explanation of my arg

ince him," I said, with perh

ust know. But it is with Mr. Horner that I must have to do about this unfortunate lad Gregson. I am afraid there will be no method of making him forget his unlucky knowledge. His

ship's discovery of the education he had been giving to this boy. My lady spoke with great authority, and with reasonable grounds of complaint. Mr. Horner was well acquainted wi

ver have granted

nother direction given to his powers. And in all Mr. Horner had done, he had had her ladyship's service in view. The business was get

eeding - and she hastened to observe -"All this may be very true, Mr. Horner, and I am sure I should be the last person to wish you to overwork or distress yourself; but of that we will talk anothe

tted me to bring him up to act as a kind of clerk,"

my lady, in in

g letters and doing up accounts. He is already

r how it is that, knowing the use he has made of his power of reading a letter, you should venture to propose such an employment for him as would require his being in your confidence, and you the

rained him, my lady, to unders

peak of discretion rather than honour. Discretion looks to the consequences of actions - honour looks to the action

she always did in such cases, to fear lest she had been too harsh. I could tel

entailed much additional trouble upon you by some of my measures: I must try and provide y

ond what he had at first intended, in speaking of it to my lady as a palliation of his offence, and he certainly was very much inclined to retract his statement that the

ssist you. I will speak to her myself. The payment we

oing Mr. Horner's tone

Gali

was invariably chosen because she had some infirmity that made her undesirable to every one else. I believe Miss Galindo had had lame and blind and hump-backed maids. She had even at one time taken in a girl hopelessly gone in consumpti

tions, and to say all manner of provoking things. Lame, blind, deformed, and dwarf, all came in for scoldings without number: it was only the consumptive girl that never had heard a sharp word. I don't think any of her servants liked her the worse for her peppery temper, and passionate odd ways, for they knew her real and beaut

as the custom in those days for the wealthy ladies of the county to set on foot a repository, as it was called, in the assize-town. The ostensible manager of this repository was generally a decayed gentlewoman, a clergyman's widow, or so forth. She was,

sitory, to have only common heavy-framed sash-windows, which admitted very little light, so I never was quite certain of the merit of these Works of Art as they were entitled. But, on the other side, where the Useful Work placard was put up, there was a great var

n the materials for which she had expended bona-fide money, and on the making-up, no little time and eye-sight, would lie for months in a yellow neglected heap; and at such times, it was said, Miss Galindo was more amusing than usual, more full

rt by a joke. But when I've to sit still from morning till night, I must have something to

sked too many home questions (not to say impertinent) respecting the domestic economies (for even the very poor liked to spend their bit of money their own way), and would open cupboards to find out hi

orway met the good woman chasing out a duck

k your pardon," she continued, as if seeing the lady for the first time. "

after, me, do you?"

r he said, sure enough the unlucky bird was al

tell him to come up and speak to me to-night about my parlou

eries of his various kinds of business (he was a mason, chimney-sweeper, and ratcatcher), that he came ho

r, but only urge difficulties which he hoped might prove insuperable. But every one of them Lady Ludlow knocked down. Letters to copy? Doubtless. Miss Galindo could come up to the Hall; she should have a room to herself; she wrote a beautiful hand; and writing would save her eyesight. "Capability with regard to accounts?" My lady would answer for that too; and for more than Mr. Horner seemed to think it necessary to inquire about. Miss Galindo was by birth and breeding a lady of the strictest honour, and would, if possible, forget the substance of any letters that passed through her han

these occasions was invariably furnished by her ladyship: it was a cold roasted peacock, with his tail stuck out as if in life. Mrs. Medlicott would take up the whole morning arranging the feathers in the proper semicircle, and was always pleased with the wonder and admiration it excited. It was considered a due reward and fitting compliment to her exertions that Mr. Horner always took her in to su

remember - in order to have her little bit of private conversation. Miss Galindo was dressed in her best gown, I am sure, but I had never seen anything like it except in a picture, it was so old-fashioned. She wore a white muslin apron, delicately embroidered, and put on a little crookedly, in order, as she told us, even Lady Ludlow, before the evening was over, to conceal a spot whence

ence of a gentleman. But widows and spinsters must do what they can. Ah, my dear (to me)! when you are reckoning up the blessings in your lot - though you may think it a hard one

now arranged Miss Galindo in the pleasantest chair, and taken her own little wicke

e seem to forget that winter must come; and partly, I suppose, that every one

liberty?" said my lady, drawing a little nearer to her pro

ter at the repository, because it stands for Xantippe, who was a great scold in old times, as I have learnt. But I'm sure I

r to scold, Miss Galindo,"

first place; and have people to do your anger and vexation for you, in the second place. And Jonathan Walker is a sinner, because he is sent to prison. But here am I, half way, having but a poor kind of disposition at best, and yet hating sin, and all t

dlow. "But I am sorry to hear that there is so muc

aying, that when I have no particular work to do at home, I take a turn abro

inds some m

e hands

ow, my

ng, that, if asked a question, she made her answer so long, that before she came to an end of it, she had

have a great favo

lied Miss Galindo, almost with tears in her eyes; so glad were we all to do anyt

nfidential and discreet person to copy these letters, and occasionally to go through certain accounts. Now, there is a very pleasant little sitting-room very near to Mr. Horner's office (you know Mr. Horner's

e had fallen. There was some great obstacle in

perfectly, and by clock-work, conducted by a number of highly-paid, well-chosen, and accomplished servants, had not a conception of the nature of the rough material from which her servants came. Besides, in her establishment, so that the result was good, no one inquired if the small economies had been observed in the production. Whereas every penny - every halfpenny, was of consequ

ot quite aware when I do it. Three hours every morning! I shall be only too proud to do what I can for your ladyship; and I hope Mr. Horner will not be too

f the clerkship afterwards, if you please. A

ould learn, but it was a fancy of my poor father's. And his daughter wrote a book, and they said

el

f-a-hundred good pens, a b

the

o write. But sometimes, when I get hold of a book, I wonder

inst women usurping men's employments, as they are very apt to do. But perhaps, after all,

y, my lady took her to look at a curious old cabinet, which Lord Ludlow had picked up at the Hague; and while they

indo was unsparing in her expressions of opinion about him:

nd that other thing! - I have no patience with him, my lady. And then, how is he to help us to heaven, by teaching us our, a b, ab - b a, ba? And yet, by all accounts, that's to save poor children's souls. O, I knew your ladyship would a

an remember how this talk about education - Rousseau, and his writings - stirr

ndo, shaking her head. "And yet there is some good in the young man too. He sat u

ny kind or generous action, no matter who performed it. "What a pity he is bitten with the

able an impression of her visit on my lady

d have made of that lad Gregson in twenty years. And I will send the lad

lad before this purpose could